Graphic Design Portfolio - Get all you need to know, right here!
This article is for any student who is about to graduate, and might be going through the toughest course of the whole year…portfolio. When I was in school I had a million and one questions about what to put in my graphic design portfolio. I found that your graphic design portfolio isn’t so much about WHAT you put in it, but more like, WHAT projects best compliment your own style. If you’re not into print, then maybe an online graphic design portfolio may suit you best. My graphic design portfolio took me months to get just right, but it’s worth it to land that “dream job”.
You may have to search around every directory you know about to find places in your town that are hiring. In the end, you graphic design portfolio is what will “make or break you”. Every company needs a designer, and the projects in your graphic design portfolio are going to be your creative touch that employers are looking for. Putting together your portfolio is going to be a stressful experience, but keep in mind the big prize, a job!
Photography, illustration, and animation are all types of media that you can choose from. You can also mix media in your pieces to catch the attention of a large company. Any services that you can offer that are unique is a great way to gain the interest of artists that are hiring. Brochures can be a great way to show your layout skills as well as a logo that you created from scratch! Branding with icons is something that companies are starting to embrace more and more.
A good site to look at for resume building is www.AIGA.com. It is a place created to help aspiring designers to get their graphic design portfolio posted for potential employers to look at. You can also join the AIGA club and download different techniques for building a great graphic design portfolio. The web is a great place to learn information and achieve your personal goals.
Keep in mind that your graphic design portfolio is supposed to represent YOU! A company is looking for someone who knows their own style and has something unique and modern to add to their team of artists. Make sure to keep up on the new and changing styles of the field. There is no reason to go out and spend thousands of dollars creating your arrangement, because people are not going to look at the money you put in to it, they’re looking at the quality of artwork in it. My best advice is to listen to your teacher. That is what I did, and after one or two declines, I found my current employer who told me that my pieces were the best he has EVER saw…and there’s nothing more gratifying than that!